Combination heating and cooling device for automobiles



1933- F. WETHERALL 1,922,788

COMBINATION HEATING AND COOLING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES V Inventor L 0Q L. 7 Weiherall jmaoifim Aug. 15, 1933. F. WETHERALL 1,922,738

COMBINATION HEATING AND COOLING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April 1, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q l I :fim O l 1 Q I Q Inventor N L 7 Wei/761 a]! 1933- L. F. WETHERALL 1,922,788

COMBINATION HEATING AND COOLING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April 1, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Inventor 3 Z; F. Wefizera/l flllorney Patented Aug. 15, 1933 COMBINATION HEATING AND COOLING DE- VICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Lucian F. Wethera'll, Huntington, W. Va., assignor of one-half to Sarah Brownstein, Huntington, W. Va.

Application April 1, 1932. Serial No. 602,535

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for preventing freezing of the water used in the radiator and cooling system of an automobile in cold weather, and in summer, to be used for preventing overheating of the internal combustion engine, and

also for replenishing the water used in the cooling system. a

The invention together with its numerous objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the device applied to an internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus as applied to the internal combustion engine.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view through a storage tank.

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating certain features of the invention to be hereinafter more fully referred to.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevational view showing the manner of connecting a storage tank with the exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view through a storage tank, and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of an air circulating coil.

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that 5 designates generally an internal combustion engine which includes among other parts an exhaust manifold 6, a generator 7; while the reference nungral 8 designates a conventional radiator forming part of the cooling system of the internal combustion engine.

In accord with the present invention there is suitably mounted at the front of the radiator 8 an air circulating coil designated generally by the reference character 9 and including a horizontal pipe 10 disposed adjacent the top of the radiator, and a plurality of tubes 11 connected at their upper ends to the pipe 10 as shown. The tubes 11 at their lower ends are directed rearwardly as is shown in Figure 1. connected with one end of a feed pipe 12 leading from the exhaust manifold 6, and provided in the pipe 12 is a control valve 13 and an operating 50- rod 14 is provided for the valve 13, the rod 14 extending rearwardly to terminate conveniently to the operator or occupant of the vehicle whereby remote control means for valve 13 is provided.

Manifestly, while the internal combustion The pipe 10 is' engine 5 is in operation, and valve 13 is open, exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold 6 will pass through pipe 12 and through the pipe 10 and tubes 11 of the coil 9 with the result that the water circulating in the radiator 8 will be maintained at a suitable temperature to prevent freezing.

A pair of storage tanks 15 is provided and may be located where convenient and mounted in any suitable manner. In the present instance the tanks 15 are located under the engine block and extend in substantial parallelism. Each of the tanks 15 includes an outer jacket 16 and an inner casing or water receptacle 1'? spaced from the walls of the jacket 16 through the medium of spacing lugs 18 thereby providing about the casing or receptacle 17 a chamber 19 for the circula tion of exhaust gases.

The casings or receptacles 1'7 of the tanks 15 are connected with the radiator 8 through the medium of pipes 20 and provided in the pipe 20 is a valve 21 with which is suitably connected a rod 22 which rod is operatively connected with a thermostat 23. Receptacles 17 of the tanks are connected by a pipe 15 whereby water will pass from one tank to the other either when filling the tanks or drawing water therefrom. The rod 22 extends rearwardly to be manipulated by the operator of the vehicle for manual and remote control of valve 21, while the thermostat provides for an automatic control of the valve 21.

The casings or receptacles 17 are also connected by pipes 24 with a suitable pump 25 having suitable drive connection such as indicated at 26' with the internal combustion engine. Pump 25 is provided with a trap 25 to prevent return of water to tanks 15 while drawing water from the tanks.

Pump 25 is connected by a pipe 26 with the intake side of a conventional circulating pump 27 driven from the generator 7, and a pipe 28 leading from the outlet side of the pump 2'7 connects the pump with the jacket of the internal combustion engine for forcing water through the cooling system. A check valve 29 is arranged in the pipe 26.

From the invention thus far, it will be apparent that, when desired, as for example when the car is stored overnight in a garage during cold weather, valve 21 may be opened for draining the water from the radiator 8 into the tanks 15 to be stored within the casings or receptacles 17 of the tanks.

The chambers 19 of tank 15 are connected with the exhaust pipe 6 through the medium of pipes 30 provided with check valves 31 and manually actuated valves 32. Exhaust of the gases from the compartments 19 of the tanks 15 is through exhaust pipes 33 provided with check valves 34.

Assuming now that the water has been drained from the radiator 8 and is stored in the tanks 15. Upon starting of the engine 5 pump 25 will be operated for drawing the water from the receptacles 1'7 of the tanks 15 and forcing the water through the conduit 26 to the pump 27 which in turn forces the water through the pipe 28 into the engine jacket, from whence the water is forced to the radiator 8, returning to the tank 15 through pipe 20. The starting of the engine 5 will of course result in the circulation of hot exhaust gases through the compartments 19 of the tanks 15 warming the water in the receptacle 17 so that water at a suitable temperature will be forced into the circulating system of the engine.

From the foregoing then it will be seen that during cold weather the engine may be prevented from freezing, since the coil 9 through which certain of the exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold 6 pass will serve to heat the radiator 8, during the running of the engine. Upon storing of the engine the water may be drained from the radiator into the tanks 15 and when the automobile is again used warm waterwill be quickly fed to the circulating system of the engine, the draining of the radiator 8, preventing freezing of the radiator during storage.

In warm weather, valves 32 are closed so as to preclude the heating of the storage tanks 15 and the tanks 15 may then be used as auxiliary storage tanks for water, the water from the tanks 15 being supplied to the radiator 8 when needed through the medium of the pumps 25, 27 in the same manner as warm water is supplied to the cooling system and as hereinbefore described.

In actual practice jackets 16 of tanks 15, each of the several pipes, valves, and other parts of the apparatus as deemed advisable and exposed to the weather are insulated with cork or other insulating material.

Even though I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of further changes, modifications and improvements coming within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In an automobile, the combination with an internal combustion engine, and a radiator for cooling it, of a coil mounted adjacent the radiator, and including a horizontal pipe, vertical tubes paralleling the radiator and connected at their upper ends with the horizontal pipe, the lower ends of the tubes being free and extending downwardly beyond the bottom of the radiator and a pipe connecting the horizontal pipe with the exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine.

2. In an automobile, and in combination, an internal combustion engine, a radiator for cooling it, a storage tank including a water receptacle and a jacket surrounding it and spaced therefrom to provide a heating chamber, pipe means connecting the radiator with the water receptacle of said tank, and'including a valve for controlling the flow of water from the radiator to the tank, a pump having driving connection with the internal combustion engine, a pipe connecting the water receptacle of the tank with said pump, a second pump, a valved pipe connecting the pumps, a pipe connecting the second pump with the water jacket of the internal combustion engine; and means for heating the said chamber of said tank.

LUCIAN F. WETHERALL. 

